Safety device for range-doors



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' SAFETY DEVICE FOR RANGE DOORS. No. 324,441.. Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

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S. WILK-S.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RANGE DOORS.

No. 324,441. Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

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UNITED STATES STEPHEN WVILKS, OF

PATENT OFFIQEQ CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,441, dated AugustlB, 1885.

Application filed August 19, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, STEPHEN WILKs, resid ing at Chicago, in the county. of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Safety Devices for Range-Doors, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the improvement applied to a range with the door closed; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same with the door open; Fig. 3, an elevation of the safety device detached; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section through the air-cylinder, showing the other parts in elevation.

The doors of ranges are usually very heavy, and when in use the opening of the doors is done by most parties using the range in great haste, the doors being allowed to drop after being unlatched, and this dropping of the doors, owing to their great weight, tends to pull them from their hinges or otherwise displace them.

The object of this invention is to construct a device that can be applied to range-doors, and effectually prevent the sudden dropping and consequent injurious effects; and its nature consists in providing a cushioning device consisting of an air-cylinder, piston, and rod, and a slide and guide frame, all as hereinafter more specifically described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents a cylinder, made of sheet-brass or other suitable material, having one end closed by a cap, A, on which is an ear or lug, at, having a transverse hole, a, and having the other end closed by a stuffing-boX, A, in which is a suitable opening for the passage of the piston-rod. The cylinder is to be made air-tight at the ends by the use of suitable packing; B, a piston, formed as shown, by a suitable packing, b, inclosed be tween two rings, 1/, but which may be made in any other suitable and well-known form to snugly fit the interior of the cylinder; 0, a piston-rod, to the end of which is secured the piston B, which rod passes through the stuff-, ing-box A; D, a cross-head secured to the outer end of the piston-rod Gin any firm man: ner; E, guide-rods, each attached at its upper end in any firm manner to the cross-head D 5 F, a cross-head secured to the lower end of the rods E; G, a slide working on the rods E between the cross-heads D F, and having an opening, 0; H, the range-door having the latch H, engaging a catch, H,for holding the door in its closed position as usual; I, the front of the range,to which the door is hinged by suitable hinges I.

As shown, two safety devices are used, one located at each end of the door. The door is connected with the safety device at each end by a'pintle, d, extending out from the doorend, and entering the hole cin the slide G,and the upper end of the safety device is attached to the front of the range by the ear to, entering an ear, 6, attached to the range, and pivotally connected therewith by a suitable pin or bolt, so that the device is free to swing forward and back as the door is opened and closed. The combined length of travel of the head B in the cylinder A and of the slide G on the rods E is equal to the swing of the door in opening and closing, so that when the door is closed the piston will be at or near the end of its upward travel and the slide at or near the upper end of the rods E, and when the door is open the piston will be at or near the lower end of the cylinder and the slide at or near the lower end of the rods, the position of the parts when the door is open and closed being shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is evident that instead of two safety devices a single safety device could be used, and that other means of connecting the safety device to the front of the range so that it can swing forward and back atits lower end could be used than the ears a and 6 shown.

The device is applied by slipping the pintle d into the hole 0 of the slide G, and then piv' oting the ear to to the ear 6, and when applied an effectual means is provided against a sudden dropping of the door when thrown open, as at the first movement in opening, the slide G drops on the rod E until it strikes the cross-head F,which striking of the cross-head The cap A has an opening for theadmission of air in front of the piston and the piston is to be provided with a vent-hole, as usual, for the passage of air back thereof on the forward movement of the piston.

The cross-heads D 1 and rods E form a frame for supporting the slide G, and these parts and the form of the slide can be Varied somewhat from the construction shown, so long as they furnish an attachment for the slide with the piston-rod and other means of connecting the slide with the door, and the pintle d can he used so long as the connection is one which will not act to twist or turn the slide and interfere with its free movement.

The door when first unlatched will drop for a short distance unchecked, but when the slide STEPHEN \VILKS.

\Vitnesses:

ALBERT H. ADAMS, HARRY "l. JONES. 

